Attorney Profile:

Darlene Pasieczny

Pronounced “Pah-shetch-nee”

In addition to her legal practice, Darlene has years of volunteer service with local and national bar associations, advisory committees, and volunteer commissions.  These give her first-hand experience improving the rules and procedures of courts and arbitration forums for all members of the public, as well as the upholding the highest ethical standards for judges, arbitrators, and financial professionals.

Darlene is also committed to supporting higher education and expanding opportunities for students of all backgrounds. In addition to serving on the Board of Trustees for Reed College and as an adjunct professor for Lewis & Clark Law School, Darlene regularly mentors students and alumni regarding careers in the law, financial literacy, and professional development.

Darlene presents frequently to legal and financial professionals on the importance of recognizing and using available tools to prevent financial exploitation of vulnerable people, including but not limited to our senior community members and persons with disabilities.

Education

  • Lewis & Clark Law School, J.D. (magna cum laude)

  • Columbia University, M.A. (Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship in Humanistic Studies)

  • Reed College, B.A. (Phi Beta Kappa, Beta of Oregon)

Licenses & Affiliations

  • Oregon State Bar

  • Washington State Bar

  • U.S. District Court, District of Oregon

  • Multnomah Bar Association

  • Oregon Women Lawyers (OWLs), Portland Chapter

  • Public Investors Advocate Bar Association (PIABA)

  • Oregon Trial Lawyers Association (OTLA)

  • Adjunct Professor, Securities Regulation, Lewis & Clark Law School, Portland, Oregon, Spring 2026

  • FINRA’s National Arbitration & Mediation Committee (NAMC), Public Member, 2021 - current (Chair, 2024 - current)

  • Arbitrator, Multnomah County Arbitration Panel

  • Arbitrator, FINRA Dispute Resolution Services

  • CFP Board’s Disciplinary and Ethics Commission, Public Commissioner, 2024 - current

  • Oregon Commission on Judicial Fitness and Disability, October 2023 - current

  • Oregon State Bar, Appellate Practice Section, Executive Committee, 2020 - 2025 (Treasurer, 2023)

Service, Honors, & Awards

  • Oregon State Bar, Securities Regulation Section, Executive Committee, 2020 - 2022 (Chair, 2021)

  • Oregon State Bar, Disability Law Section, Executive Committee, 2025 - current

  • Reed College Board of Trustees, 2018 - 2022; 2024 - current (Secretary, 2025 - current)

  • Babson Society Outstanding Volunteer Award, Reed College, 2024

  • Public Investors Advocate Bar Association (PIABA) Board of Directors, 2017 - 2023 (Treasurer, 2019 - 2021; co-chair of Diversity Committee, 2023)

  • Oregon Rising Stars List, 2021 & 2022

Select Publications & Speaking Engagements

Publications

Speaking Engagements

  • Speaker, “Probate Ethics: A Dramedy in Four Acts,” Multnomah Bar Association CLE Seminar, October 2025

  • Speaker, “Recent and Upcoming Developments in FINRA Arbitration and Mediation,” Practising Law Institute (PLI), Securities Arbitration 2025, New York, NY, September 2025

  • Speaker, “Recent and Upcoming Developments in FINRA Arbitration and Mediation,” Practising Law Institute (PLI), Securities Arbitration 2024, New York, NY, September 2024

  • Speaker, “Tips for Recognizing Potential Elder Abuse, Diminished Capacity, and Strategies for Securities Professionals,” Portland, OR, November 2023

  • Speaker, “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in FINRA Arbitrations,” Practising Law Institute (PLI), Securities Arbitration 2023, New York, NY, September 2023

    • Speaker, “Updates in FINRA Arbitration,” Oregon State Bar Securities Regulation Section, Portland, OR, July 2023

    • Speaker, “RIA Supervisory Duties: Claims and Resources for RIA Cases,”  PIABA Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, October 2022

    • Speaker, “Recent and Upcoming Developments in FINRA Arbitration and Mediation,” Practising Law Institute Securities Arbitration 2022, New York, NY, September 2022

    • Speaker, “Financial Elder Abuse – State Civil Claims and Overview of a Financial Elder Abuse Case,” PIABA Mid-Year Meeting April 2022

    • Speaker, “The Whole Picture: Maximizing Damages in Securities Cases” PIABA Annual Meeting, Amelia Island, FL, October 2021

    • Speaker, “Liability Under the Oregon Securities Law: Landscapes and Minefields,” Multnomah Bar Association, Advising Oregon Businesses Fall Series, Portland, OR, October 2020

    •  Moderator, “Two Case Studies in Securities Litigation: Aequitas SEC Receivership (OR) and Federal Home Loan v. Credit Suisse (WA),” 40th Annual Northwest Securities Institute, Seattle, WA, March 2020

    • Speaker, “Recent Tools to Combat Financial Elder Abuse: Mandatory and Permissive Conduct Under FINRA Rules and Oregon Law for Securities Professionals,” Oregon Sate Bar Securities Regulation Section, Portland, February 2019

    • Speaker, “Lunching with Fiduciary Litigators: Red Flags and Strategies for Oregon and Washington,” SYK Seminar Series, Portland, OR, July 2018

    • Speaker, “Financial Elder Abuse, FINRA & State Legislation: What Securities Professionals, Financial Institutions, and Trust Companies Need to Know,” Portland, OR, July 2018

    • Moderator, “The Speeding Train of Cryptocurrency Investments, Supervision, and Securities Regulation,” PIABA Mid-Year CLE, Los Angeles, CA, May, 2018

    • Guest Speaker, Investor Protection Clinic, William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, April 2018

    • Speaker, “The Nuts and Bolts of SEC Whistle-blower Claims – and how the Recent Digital Realty case Changed the Landscape,” Oregon State Bar Securities Regulation Section, Portland, OR, March 2018

    • Speaker, “Senate Bill 95, House Bill 2622, and FINRA Rules 2165 & 4512: What Oregon Securities Professionals, Financial Institutions, and Trust Companies Need to Know,” Samuels Yoelin Kantor LLP, Portland, OR, March 2018

    • Speaker, “Senate Bill 95: Safeguarding Seniors,” FPA of Oregon & SW Washington, Portland, OR, February 2018

    • Guest Speaker, St. John’s University School of Law, Securities Arbitration Clinic, Queens, NY, February 2018

    • Moderator, “Cybersecurity: Regulation and Enforcement in the Battle of Attacks on Investors and Firm Information,” PIABA Securities Law Seminar, Colorado Springs, CO, October 2017

    • Panelist, “FINRA Securities Dispute Resolution – What Lies Beyond the Task Force?” 19th Annual ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Spring Conference, San Francisco, CA, 2017

    • Speaker, “War & PEAC: Negotiating with the Tech Industry over Fiduciary Access to Digital Property,” Northwest Planned Giving Roundtable Annual Conference, Portland, Fall 2016

    • Speaker, “War & PEAC: Negotiating with the Tech Industry over Fiduciary Access to Digital Property,” SW Washington Estate Planning Council, Vancouver, WA, 2016

    • Speaker, “Red Flags in Your Incoming Client’s Portfolio? What You Should Know About Securities Claims for Recovering Investment Losses,” Financial Planning Association of Oregon and SW Washington, Portland, OR, 2016

    • Moderator, “Blowing the Whistle Under Dodd-Frank & SOX: The SEC’s and CFTC’s Whistle-blower Program,” PIABA Securities Law Seminar, San Diego, CA, 2016

    • Moderator, “Clearing Firm Liability,” PIABA Securities Law Seminary, Ponte Verda Beach, FL, 2015

    • Speaker, “Creditors’ Claims,” Oregon Law Institute, 2015 ABCs of Decedents’ Estate Administration, Portland, OR, 2015

    • Panelist, “Latest Developments in FINRA Securities Arbitration,” 17th Annual ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Spring Conference, Seattle, WA, 2015

    • Speaker, “Recent Developments at FINRA“, 33rd Annual Northwest Securities Institute, Portland, OR, 2013